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Karol Nawrocki civil trial against Onet moves to public hearings
The Warsaw District Court has ruled that the civil lawsuit filed by Polish President Karol Nawrocki against Ringier Axel Springer Polska, the publisher of Onet, will be open to the public. The proceedings follow a May 2025 investigative report titled “Karol Nawrocki and the Secrets of the Grand Hotel,” which alleged that Nawrocki, while working as a security guard in Sopot approximately 20 years ago, participated in facilitating prostitution for hotel guests.
During recent public hearings, Natasza Geldon, a former hotel employee and key witness for Onet, testified that she witnessed Nawrocki entering the hotel with a man and a woman and subsequently riding an elevator with them to guest floors. Geldon further testified that Nawrocki suggested she could earn extra money by bringing women to guests.
President Nawrocki has denied all allegations, describing the original report as a “pile of lies and hatred.” His legal team has challenged the credibility of the witnesses, while the court has ordered Onet to provide recordings of conversations between journalists and their informants to clarify the nature of their contact with sources.
Entities
Antoni Macierewicz · Grand Hotel · Karol Nawrocki · Natasza Geldon · Onet · Radosław Sikorski · Ringier Axel Springer Polska · Warsaw District Court
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The lawsuit seeks official apologies from the publisher. www.donald.pl · www.cotidianul.ro
- [● 3 SOURCES] The court denied the request for a live broadcast of the proceedings. www.donald.pl · www.cotidianul.ro
- [● 3 SOURCES] The court scheduled Karol Nawrocki's testimony for January 18, 2027.
- [● 7 SOURCES] The original Onet article was published in May 2025. www.donald.pl · www.cotidianul.ro · www.rmf24.pl · dziennik.com · wydarzenia.interia.pl
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Warsaw District Court ruled the civil trial between Karol Nawrocki and Ringier Axel Springer Polska will be public. www.donald.pl · www.cotidianul.ro · wiadomosci.onet.pl · www.thefad.pl · wydarzenia.interia.pl · +1 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Karol Nawrocki has filed a civil lawsuit for the protection of personal rights against Ringier Axel Springer Polska. www.donald.pl · www.cotidianul.ro · www.rmf24.pl · wydarzenia.interia.pl · polityka.co.pl · +1 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Piotr Głuchowski, a journalist for Gazeta Wyborcza, testified as a witness in the trial. www.donald.pl · www.salon24.pl
- [● 10 SOURCES] Natasza Geldon testified she saw Nawrocki escorting a man and a woman to an elevator and that he suggested earning money by bringing women to guests. www.cotidianul.ro · wiadomosci.onet.pl · www.salon24.pl · www.wirtualnemedia.pl · www.thefad.pl · +2 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The court ordered Onet to provide recordings of conversations between journalists and their informants. www.wirtualnemedia.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Karol Nawrocki's testimony is scheduled for January 18, 2027.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Radosław Sikorski commented on the trial via the X platform. dziennik-polityczny.com · www.plotek.pl · www.rmf24.pl · wiadomosci.wp.pl · wydarzenia.interia.pl
- [● 3 SOURCES] Marcin Przydacz responded to Radosław Sikorski's comments on X. www.plotek.pl · www.rmf24.pl · wiadomosci.wp.pl